Normally I love a good political novel, but this one was too self-serious for me, with its emphasis on poetry and language (which I couldn’t really understand because they are speaking Teixcalaanli but the book is written in English so how can I understand the nuances?), its convoluted plot that I felt was too drawn out and explained things without really explaining anything, and the copious use of its italics which really drove me bonkers.

Also I had high hopes so maybe that’s why my disappointment is more palpable. The idea of the imago should’ve been a bigger part of the story in my opinion. The question of having another conscious in your head brings up all sorts of questions about identity, choice, and personhood. Similarly, the cultures could’ve been fleshed out more, especially with our heroine Mahit as the Lsel “barbarian”and the Teixcalaan empire as the big power in the universe. 

2.5 stars.

I really wanted to like these characters, but maybe I just hate it when a nice person gets taken advantage of. The middle was the worst for me in that way, but the ending made up for it. I also liked the foley artist aspect, the fact that Theo was a 4th grade teacher, and the nods to the discrepancies in American healthcare. So, it ended up being a 2.5 star read for me. 

3 short stories and one novella that all deal with themes of how we want to be seen, and the disconnect between how others see us. I loved the prose; Torrey Peters has a gift for distilling human experiences and emotions into these short but unforgettable stories.

Audio is amazing, although I did have to read part of “Stag Dance” in print due to the logger vocab. If you are in any way curious about that last sentence, you should definitely read this book.

4.5 stars

Interesting concept, clunky execution. Characters were inconsistent and the ending didn’t pay off.